Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Character Counts

Congratulations, you have put your finger on some of the most pressing issues we face in this country. My question is...so why don't you do something about it? Why don't you use the bully pulpit to lead us toward some solutions?

Here is what you told the media and the American people regarding the health care crisis you identified above: "...I assured these leaders that the Government is addressing rising health care costs through a variety of initiatives that I think over time are going to make a significant difference not only in their cost, but the cost to the U.S. taxpaper, as well."

Well done, Bush. Very specific. In fact, I'm tempted to stand on my street corner holding a sign that says, "Support the President's 'variety of intiatives.'!"

When it comes to oil, there is actually a great deal of substance you could say, and have said in the past. Deep down, Bush, I do not believe that you want to be a nation-builder. (On this point you were fairly eloquent and even showed some genuine-seeming conviction during the 2000 presidential debates.) Which may explain why there was no plan to win the peace in Iraq or Afghanistan. You don't have the stomach for it, do you? You don't want to take over Iraq's oil. In fact, you don't care a lick for Iraq either way. Your prime concern is and always has been preserving the status quo of American economic and military domination of the world. If Iraq is a military threat, let's take it apart. If Iraq is an economic threat because of its oil, why then, let's reduce our dependence on oil. Makes perfect sense.

The odd convergence of environmentalism and America's global economic interests has opened a window of opportunity. So why aren't we doing anything? Why aren't you on the airwaves pleading with us to purchase hybrid or electric vehicles. Why aren't you using your political muscle to force industry into making renewable energies viable NOW?

Answer this question Bush, and you will discover why America has lost faith in you.

3 comments:

Anonymous
said...

I agree with you in that - The President is certainly missing a rare opportunity to simultaneously fight against terror- supporting states and for a cleaner environment with one fell swoop. It would be hilarious to see him as the lead actor in some hybrid car commercial. It might also prevent future sales of any such vehicle. However, I think you are wrong about his idea of nation-building. It's not stomach he is lacking, but heart. And quite frankly, while his heart may genuinely be concerned with the building of this, his nation, the good old US of A - I think he is ultimately lacking the brain to understand how that very aim might be tied up in the welfare of "those other nations" which he "liberates" to their own demise. And perhaps he should in fact revisit his own words in the 2000 presidential debate to remember it was his idea to maintain good standing in international affairs - and to do so by making sure America was strong in a way that was very carefully "not arrogant" but rather "humble." OOps

About Me

I started my other blog, The Buddha Diaries, nearly 10 years ago. A long-standing member of The ManKind Project, I have a special interest in how men experience the world and how they can contribute to the well-being of our species. My current commitment as a writer is to a collection of the kind of "boyhood memories" you find here, which I plan to publish eventually as a book.